The Libya Conflict

The conflict in Libya arose out of protests beginning February 15, 2011, in the eastern city of Benghazi. The protest came as part of a wider protest movement that had spread throughout the Middle East and North Africa. On February 23, Benghazi fell under the control of protesters after the defection of prominent military officers stationed in the city. In a bid to end the unrest, the government announced constitutional reforms and warned of civil war if the protests continued. Shortly after, 230 protester deaths were reported, prompting the UN to accuse the Libyan government of committing crimes against humanity. The UN Human Rights Council soon followed suit in condemning the actions of Gaddafi's government and later acting to suspend Libya from the body, as Libyan diplomats and government officials began to defect from Gaddafi's government, citing the violence against protesters. Following international intervention and several months of stalemate, opposition forces seized control of Tripoli, the Libyan capital, and later captured and killed Gaddafi on October 20, 2011.